VEGETABLE PATCH : A root day under a waxing First Quarter moon — the soil is ready to work. Hill up potato rows by drawing a good 10 cm of earth up around the stems; this keeps developing tubers in the dark. Swede seedlings can be thinned to 25 cm in the row, rows 40 cm wide. Celeriac planted out at 35 cm in the row, rows 40 cm, benefits from a light mulch to hold moisture through summer heat. Add a thin layer of mature compost along the rows after thinning in sandy soils.
ORCHARD : Check the base of grapevines for suckers drawing energy from the main trunk — snap them off cleanly at the root. Fig trees are swelling their early fruits; a top-dressing of compost around the base, kept clear of the trunk, will support steady development ahead.
LANDSCAPING : Wisteria is pushing out strong summer shoots — pinch them back to four or five leaves to keep the plant tidy and build next year’s flowering framework. Lavender freshly past bloom can be lightly trimmed now; never cut into old wood.